I have a mentor. My mentor is a woman I deeply admire. I knew from the moment I met her that she would be an important influence on my life. Her name is Glenda. I met Glenda my junior year of college. I needed a job. She had a job opening. The beginning of a perfect match! Glenda is the executive director of a national honor society for college freshmen. She had just stepped into this role after several years of working in other forms of higher education. Her office was located on my college campus, and she knew that there were hundreds of possible resources located at her fingertips! She needed a student employee. I remember that job interview. I was so nervous. I really needed a job, and this one was right on campus. I could walk to work. They would work around my class schedule. It seemed perfect. If only I could interview well enough to get hired. I knew I was capable. I knew I could do the work. If only they would give me a chance!
I was not the only one who interviewed. In fact, several months after I was hired, Glenda told me that another applicant was probably more qualified for the job. However, they felt that student had too much on her plate already, so they chose me. How thankful I am that they chose me!!!!!
It did not take me long after I started working for Glenda for me to realize that my association with her would go much farther than my part-time job. Glenda was a smart woman. Glenda stayed on the cutting edge of everything. She read something worthwhile every day. She did her best to stay ahead of the technology game. She knew what it meant to position herself in her world. And I knew how important it was to position myself around her.
Glenda is an encourager. When I struggled with academic responsibilities, she encouraged me to persevere. When I struggled with spiritual issues, she encouraged me to seek understanding. When I struggled with family issues, she encouraged me to keep the lines of communication open.
Glenda is a leader. She is in charge of leading a national organization. She is responsible for organizing volunteers located throughout the nation to action for the good of the organization. She is responsible for providing a vision for the organization, both for the present and the future. She is responsible for making sure the organization knows this vision and acts upon it.
Glenda could have just been another boss. I made a choice, though, to learn from Glenda. I made a choice to listen to Glenda, both her words and her experience. I made a choice to accept Glenda as my mentor and friend.
Glenda is still my go-to person. When I have a professional struggle, I often seek Glenda's advice. She has been where I am. She has contacts that can boost me in my professional life. She has words of wisdom to share. She encourages me to strive for excellence. She encourages me to take risks. If I had failed to develop such a strong working relationship with Glenda during college, I would not be where I am today.
The ability and willingness to build relationships with people who care, people who share your values, people who seek excellence, is an important quality every leader should have. But we must open ourselves to teachable moments. We must listen to others and learn from our relationships. We must position ourselves around people who want the best for us and who understand the role they play.
5 years ago
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